The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of grapevine, which will hereinafter be denominated varietally as "3-14-71", and more particularly to a grapevine of the vinifera species characterized by large seedless berries of dark red to black color; which is mature for commercial harvesting approximately September 28th in McFarland, Calif.; and which has an exceptional ability to retain its freshness and palatability long after harvest during shipping, handling and in cold storage.
The "Thompson Seedless" grapevine is a variety which has been one of the most commercially successful producing large, green seedless berries of good flavor, ripening for harvest beginning in August and extending to mid September in the San Joaquin Valley of central California. Because of these attributes and because of the exceptional shipping and handling characteristics of the fruit as well as other factors, the "Thompson Seedless" grapevine has been one of the most extensively planted grapevine varieties in the San Joaquin Valley over many decades to whose climate it is uniquely well suited. Furthermore, the fruit of the "Thompson Seedless" grapevine has been well received in the marketplace.
In the marketing of grapes, which may generally be classified as to coloration as being either "green" or "colored", it is known that for any given segment of the season it is desirable to have fruit of both color types available for sale. The green class of grape varieties may vary in color form yellow-white to relatively deep green. The colored class of grape varieties may vary in color from red to black. During some portions of the season for grapes, there are varieties of both general color types available which have more or less compatible characteristics, in that they are seedless, flavorful and durable through harvesting, shipping and in cold storage. It has been found that during any such segment of the season, purchasers may exhibit a predilection for either color or both color types.
During the segment of the season occupied by the "Thompson Seedless" grapevine, there has not heretofore been a colored grape variety available having truly comparable attributes to those of the grapes of the "Thompson Seedless" grapevine. As a consequence, the development of a new colored grape variety having characteristics much more closely approaching those of the "Thompson Seedless" grapevine has been an objective long sought, but not heretofore achieved.
the "3-14-71" grapevine of the present invention is the result of an extensive breeding project directed toward the development of just such a new grapevine variety and which has been found substantially to achieve the objectives of that project in providing a grapevine producing a colored seedless grape ripening for harvest substantially later than the fruit of the "Thompson Seedless" grapevine and otherwise having attributes compatible therewith. The new variety is distinctly different from the "Thompson Seedless" grapevine. It fills a niche in the marketing season by offering a large seedless berry that is colored, maturing after the main harvest of "Thompson Seedless" grapevine.